In a stone retrieval procedure, a calculus (stone) is removed from, e.g., the bile duct using a catheter device that is passed through an endoscope. The catheter device includes a collapsible basket that is extended from a sheath to capture the stone for removal.
In a lithotripsy procedure, the stone is crushed either to facilitate natural passage or to facilitate removal with a basket. This procedure can be performed with a catheter device that can apply large collapsing force to the basket, which crushes the captured stone. Many other medical procedures also involve grasping, sampling, removal, and/or crushing objects in the body.